Hot on the heels of vitaQuake 2 being ported to Libretro/RetroArch, now’s the time for a full-fledged Quake 3 core to make its way to RetroArch!
Rinnegatamante used his vitaQuake 3 source port as the basis for this core. Unlike the vitaQuake 2 core, there is no fallback software renderer. Unlike Quake 1/2, Quake III: Arena was the first game by id Software to require the use of a 3D videocard. For now, this core will require the OpenGL API.
So what exactly is vitaQuake 3? It’s an ioquake3 port by Rinnegatamante that was originally made for the PS Vita as a standalone release, and has now since been ported to the libretro API itself.
It currently supports the following games/mods:
- Quake III: Arena
- Quake III: Team Arena
- OpenArena
- Urban Terror
- Q3Rally
The core is currently available on both Windows and Linux on the Libretro buildbot.
Features
- Fixed frame steps just like the Quake 2 core. You can set the target framerate beyond 60fps in case you have a high refresh rate TV/monitor
- Resolution can be increased up to 4K (3840×2160). We will probably increase this limit later on
- Fully working online multiplayer support
- Full mod support. Should work with Urban Terror, Open Arena, etc
What is not done
- Needs keyboard/mouse control options. Right now only the gamepad is fully mapped
- (For mobile) If we want to bring it to mobile, the GL renderer has to compile as GLES 2.0-compatible. Alternatively we could make a separate renderer specfically for this purpose.
How to get it
The core is available right now on our buildbot. It will be only available for Windows PCs, Mac and Linux for now given the OpenGL fixed function requirements right now. We will see where we can go from here.
To install this core, in RetroArch’s Main Menu, go to Online Updater. First make sure your core info files are updated. Select ‘Update Core Info Files’.
After this is done, select ‘Core Updater’. From here, you can select ‘Quake III: Arena (vitaQuake 3)’ from the list and download it.
Requirements/How to use it
You need one of the following:
- A working version of Quake 3 Arena’s datafiles (buy it on GOG, Steam, etc)
- A demo version of Quake 3 Arena with the datafiles extracted
We might put up the demo version of Quake 3 Arena on our Content Downloader later to simplify the process for people who just want to test this core out.
Anyway, once you have the data files unpacked somewhere on your storage device, go to RetroArch, go to ‘Load Content’, go to the directory that has the data files, go to the baseq3 folder, and open pak0.pk3.
It should start the core now.
vitaVoyager – Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force Holomatch
vitaVoyager is a port of lilium-voyager, an ioquake3 fork made to be compatible with the multiplayer mode of Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force.
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force was a game made by Raven Software in the early ’00s. It uses the id Tech 3 engine, the same engine powering Quake III: Arena.
Both local and online multiplayer are fully implemented as well as game against bots.
How to get it
The core is available right now on our buildbot. It will be only available for Windows PCs, Mac and Linux for now given the OpenGL fixed function requirements right now. We will see where we can go from here.
To install this core, in RetroArch’s Main Menu, go to Online Updater. First make sure your core info files are updated. Select ‘Update Core Info Files’.
After this is done, select ‘Core Updater’. From here, you can select ‘Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (vitaVoyager)’ from the list and download it.
Requirements/How to use it
You need one of the following:
- A working version of Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force’s multiplayer data files
Holomatch, with permission from Raven and other parties, is now fully free to download and distribute.
See this page here
Other relevant info can be found here –
“Fortunately you can play the multiplayer for free. Either you get it from the UFP, a multigaming clan or The Last Outpost, one of the last Elite Force RPG communities left.”
https://ufplanets.com/cms.php?27-Star-Trek-Voyager-Elite-Force
“UFPlanets.com LTD. has received written permission from CBS Broadcasting Inc., the current license holder of the Star Trek franchise and associated material, including the licensed material contained in these installers, to redistribute Star Trek Voyager® Elite Force™ for free via a digital download installer. “
We will have to research if it’s feasible or permissible for us to include these files on our Content Downloader. Until we have made that final determination, you can get them through one of the links above instead.
Anyway, once you have the data files unpacked somewhere on your storage device, go to RetroArch, go to ‘Load Content’, go to the directory that has the data files, go to the baseEF folder, and open pak0.pk3.
It should start the core now.
Coming tomorrow – lifting the curtains on id Tech 4
Tomorrow we’ll have a new blog post dedicated to our in-development Doom 3 libretro core. Stay tuned!